I'm assuming that some of my readers, at this point in time, might be a bit curious as to how the original story went.
Therefore I shall use this chapter to elaborate.
The original so-called book – the one whom Alythia remembered reading – mainly revolved around Ray and Blake.
Their story is sweet no doubt – sweetest when told from Blake's perspective.
You see, when Alythia recalled the story, she recalled it from Ray's point of view. Thus anything Ray did not know – or more specifically could not remember knowing – was omitted.
So I will indulge my readers and give them a shortened version of the sweetest part of the tale that had up till now not yet been told.
Their romance, unlike what the original story would lead one to believe, did not begin only after Ray had entered the Academy.
Oh no, it happened years before.
For now, let us turn to Blake in order to shed some light on the matter, since he is the only one – apart from Izana – who knows it.
It is currently a sunny day in mid-April.
Blake sat under an oak tree in the school garden with a petty girl's head resting on his lap. He stared down at the girl's sleeping face and was again made aware of his deep affection for her.
His mind started to drift as he thought back to everything that had happened since the day they first met.
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That particular day was a day like any other.
Our young 12 year old boy, with his black hair and golden eyes, had just escaped from the palace and was bravely venturing off into town in search of some adventure.
He dressed himself up in rags and used a piece of cloth to cover his head and hide his face.
As he was walking he heard some kids laughing nearby and went to investigate.
When he drew near to the boys he realized that they were making fun of a younger child. This younger boy was an Elite as the Prince could clearly see the red 'X' marking the child's hand.
The older children were Commoners.
Now the reader must understand two things.
The first, as I mentioned in a previous chapter, is that Commoners generally hate Elites.
The second, as I will now elaborate on, is Blake's nature.
Although he has his faults, and Alythia would say they are many, he also has his merits.
One of these merits is, and had always been, an intense distaste towards discrimination. Even at a young age he understood that human life held immense value and wanted to grow up to be a good king who would treat his people fairly.
Thus the moment he saw the actions of these boys his indignation flared up and awoke a fire deep within him. He gathered magic in his hands and shot the older boys with a gigantic ball of water – drenching them to the bone.
Meanwhile the little Elite had managed to escape.
When the bullies returned to their senses they were enraged and turned their newly fueled anger towards the Prince – but of course they did not know he was in fact a Prince.
As the bigger one of the two drew back his fist, ready to hit the Prince, another figure suddenly moved in front of Blake and got smacked to the ground in his stead.
The Prince and the two boys were in a daze as they stared at the pretty girl now lying on the ground. She had olive skin and dark brown hair that came down to her shoulders.
As her emerald eyes glanced up and glared at the two Commoner boys, they recognized her and were instantly filled with fear. Both dashed off without a second thought as she was also a Commoner and they knew they would get in trouble for hurting one of their own – albeit by accident.
In an instant Blake was at her side – helping her to her feet.
With a voice filled with worry he asked if she was alright. For a few moments he was unable to take his eyes off the red mark left on her cheek that had actually been meant for him.
The girl smiled when she saw his concerned expression.
"More importantly, are you Okay? She asked. "I hope they didn't hurt you too bad before I got here"
The Prince stared at her in shock. He asked if she did not dislike him, since he was an Elite.
The girl however just shook her head and said that he had not yet given her any reason to not like him.
As she bid him farewell and went on her merry way, he felt a curiosity rise from deep inside – something within the Prince resonated with this girl.
Now let me take a brief moment to inform the reader a bit about Ray.
She was a brave and simplistic girl. She was kind towards the weak but could be equally severe towards the proud. She had a strong sense of justice – like Heroine's usually do – and would fight to the death in order to guard that which she believed in.
Though she was a Commoner, Izana himself had formerly informed me that her heart (even at such a young age) had been nearer to his than any Commoner's heart before her had ever been.
And for those whose hearts seek him, Izana will make sure that he is found.
Now though our little girl Ray soon forgot ever meeting the ragged boy – for she also did not know he was a Prince – Blake however was not able to forget her.
After he returned to the palace (and was severely scolded for sneaking out) he wanted to know more about her.
He learned that apart from being a Commoner, her family was also very poor. Her father had already passed away and she was the only one left to care of her ill mother.
After the Prince became aware of this he would, whenever he could, sneak out of the palace and leave baskets of food and fresh supplies at her front door.
He would never openly give it to her, nor attempt talking with her – he was still much too shy at this point to even consider anything of the sort.
No, he was content with just helping her in secret.
And so the years continued on.
When Ray was around 15 her mother died.
The olive-skinned girl went about the streets proclaiming that the night after her mother's death a white Dragon had appeared in her dreams. The creature allowed her to cling to it and sob as it enveloped her in its wings.
A few weeks after that she suddenly woke up one day – a day like any other – and noticed a red mark had appeared on her right palm.
She had become a Wielder.
But let the reader not be confused – I shall clarify some things that have yet to be mentioned up till now.
Usually a child is born as either an Elite or a Commoner. However, there have been cases – though it is rare – of Commoners becoming Elites later in life.
And such was the case with Ray.
After Blake found out that she would now attend the same Academy as him for two years he was ecstatic. He sternly resolved to overcome the hesitation that had been hindering him for years and finally befriend her.
So you see dear reader, the Prince's love for Ray grew subtly and like most subtle things one will not notice it's presence until after it had already been around for some time.
His thoughts towards the girl started out as 'interest' then grew to 'respect' which grew to 'appreciation' that in turn morphed into 'affection' and finally – during her years at the academy – bloomed into 'love'.
However, the Prince was much too embarrassed to ever confess how his deep seated feelings for the girl had started. And since the original story was more focused on Ray's feelings for the Prince, his feelings were never voiced.
Interestingly enough, the original story claims that Ray's affection for Blake started because he did not discriminate against her for having been a Commoner.
So in a sort of funny twist, the reasons behind her love for him were very much the same reasons that started his love for her.
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But Blake's thoughts were interrupted when the girl who had been dozing off in his lap finally began to stir.
"Hu? Your majesty" she said with a yawn as she sat up and eagerly rubbed her eyes "Did you forget to wake me? Was my sleeping face perhaps too captivating?"
Blake chuckled at her before pressing a gentle kiss against her lips. "You are captivating but my dear your beauty is by far the least alluring thing about you"
She stared at him for awhile as a frisky grin spread across her face "My sweet Prince, are you perhaps trying to seduce this fair maiden with your flattery?"
A playful glint flickered in his eyes "Why is it working?"
"No" she flatly said, while firmly pushing him away with her hand before jumping to her feet.
He snickered "I guess I need to try a bit harder then?"
She glanced at him over her shoulder. "Seems that way" she hummed before walking off.
Blake instantly shot up and rushed to her side as the two walked, in step, toward their next class.